Opponents of Big River Steel mill defend suit against plantLITTLE ROCK (AP) — Opponents of a new steel mill under construction in eastern Arkansas argued in a court hearing Friday that they didn't forfeit their right to sue to stop the plant just because the state had already issued a permit. "You cannot simply take a document and write 'permit' on it and say, 'That's good enough for us,'" Nucor Steel attorney David Taggart argued during a federal court hearing in Little Rock. Nucor Steel sued the $1....

Municipal League wraps up 2015 winter conferenceLITTLE ROCK (AP) — The Arkansas Municipal League has wrapped up its 2015 winter conference. More than 1,200 participants, including many newly elected municipal officials from across the state, attended the event in Little Rock that concluded Friday. Highlights include the first appearance before the municipal group by newly inaugurated Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Hutchinson asked municipal leaders to support legislation he will propose to create a b...

ForwARd Arkansas unveils statewide survey on educationLITTLE ROCK (AP) — A statewide partnership that includes the Arkansas Board of Education is urging educators, parents, students, community leaders and policy makers to complete an online survey on how to prepare Arkansas students for success in college and/or the workplace. The survey was designed by ForwARd Arkansas, a partnership that includes the board, the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation. Arkansans are enco...

Police: 2 dead, 1 wounded in central Florida mall shootingMELBOURNE, Fla. (AP) — A Florida man had "several pockets full of ammunition" when he targeted his wife in a shooting Saturday morning that killed two people at a mall food court where the woman worked, police said. Authorities said the shooting happened about a half hour before the mall was to open to customers. Jose Garcia-Rodriguez, 57, of Palm Bay, died at a hospital following an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at Melbourne Square Ma...

A&P grants money for fencesThe Russellville Advertising and Promotion (A&P) Commission granted $4,000 for new portable fences during its meeting Thursday. The commission voted to grant the Russellville Recreation and Parks Commission $4,000 from general funds to buy four new portable fences for tournament use. Assistant Director Terry Thomas said the commission currently has two new fences and four old fences, which are in poor shape and need to be replaced. Thomas said...

DHS EAST heads map projectDARDANELLE — A project between the Dardanelle High School EAST (Environmental and Spatial Technology) program and the Arkansas State Police could potentially save lives. Under the direction of EAST facilitator Sandy Williams, senior Woodrow Ramey is heading a project to create updated maps of each school in Highway Patrol Troop J's district, which includes Pope, Yell, Johnson, Van Buren, Conway and Perry counties. "When you think of doing some...

Bond hearingsThe following individuals appeared during felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear March 2 in Circuit Court. • Angela McMinn, 42, filing a false report — $10,000. On Wednesday, officers responded to McMinn's residence in reference to a sexual assault. McMinn reported her boyfriend had physically and sexually assaulted her in...

Atkins revises attendance policyATKINS — The Atkins Board of Education revised the district's attendance policy regarding extracurricular activities. President Mark Coffman initially brought the item before the board in December after some parents expressed concerns about the policy. Following a lengthy discussion last month, the board asked Superintendent Mark Gotcher to prepare a policy change draft for review and tabled the item. The policy stated that a school's principa...

Power shift to change commissionThe Pope County Election Commission is composed of three commissioners — two from the majority party and one from the minority party — elected to represent their party. Because of the shift in power during November's general election, the commission will switch from having one Republican representative to two and from two Democratic representatives to one. Chad Easley, then-interim chair of the Pope County Democratic Committee (PCDC), said he ...

RSD reviews project listThe Russellville Board of Education's Buildings and Grounds Committee met Wednesday to discuss several projects the board is expected to vote on during its next meeting, which is 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Administration Building. The board is expected to take action on projects such as a covered walkway from Russellville High School to Cyclone Gymnasium, asphalt around Cyclone Stadium and Cyclone Gymnasium, an HVAC system at Russellville Middle Sc...

Spencers: Theatre of Illusion to perform in Russellville Feb. 28Prepare to be mystified as Spencers: Theatre of Illusion makes a stop at The Center for the Arts, in Russellville, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28. This is not your run-of-the-mill magic show; and the Spencers are not your typical magicians. The Spencers carry a lot of equipment in their 65-foot customized truck and trailer, but a rabbit and a top hat are not in the inventory. Kevin and Cindy Spencer, known professionally as The Spencers, are a...

Comfort in life and in deathWhat is your only comfort in life and in death? To put the question differently, what gives you hope for your life today and your death in the future? Many people in our world set their hope on money, possessions and other forms of wealth. The futility of that is probably obvious to most of us. No matter how useful money, possessions and the like can be, they don’t last forever. Furthermore, even while they do, they cannot give us lasting happ...

What is a church?Two months ago, Congregation Chiam B’ Derech moved again. We didn’t move across town this time, just across the parking lot to a new unit in the Riverbend Plaza. We needed a thousand more square feet, and this unit had it! We were thrilled! We moved all of our “stuff” in one day, by just walking it across the parking lot with a pallet jack borrowed from a family business, and a pickup truck for the piano. Members laughed and hauled and ate piz...

Changing of the guardATKINS — Tuesday was a historic night when the Atkins City Council met at City Hall. After aldermen and the mayor, city clerk and city attorney were sworn in by Pope County Judge Jim Ed Gibson, a changing of the guard took place. Police Chief Tim Whittenburg, who is retiring this month after serving the Atkins Police Department for more than 23 years, introduced new Police Chief Stephen Pack. Pack, who grew up in Atkins and lives in Pottsville...

Church briefs (Jan. 16, 2015)Singing at Gospel Lighthouse Pentecostal The Gospel Lighthouse Pentecostal Church of God will host a gospel singing and potluck dinner at 7 p.m. tonight. To reach the church, travel seven miles north from Dover on State Highway 7 and turn left on State Highway 164. Travel west approximately six miles, and the church is on the left. Pastors Greg and Donna Proctor invite everyone to attend. For more information, call (479) 747-3744. Scottsville ...

Hester resigns as Lamar suprintendentLAMAR — The Lamar Board of Education accepted the resignation of Superintendent Roy Hester during its meeting Monday. Hester's resignation will become effective July 1, as he recently accepted the director position with the Western Arkansas Education Service Cooperative in Branch. "Guy Fenter, the current director, is retiring this year, so I applied and interviewed and was given the job," Hester said. "It's bittersweet in taking the position ...

Obituary: Michael KingMichael Wayne King, 63, died Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, at the Veterans Heath Care System of the Ozarks in Fayetteville. The son of Porter Sr. and Callie (Palmer) King, he was born April 18, 1951, in Mason, Ky. He was a United States Army veteran and worked as a truck driver. Military honors will be presented at 2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 19, 2015, at Humphrey Chapel in Russellville. Arrangements are under the direction of Humphrey Funeral Service. Memor...

Obituary: Brigitte McGuganDANVILLE — Brigitte P. McGugan, 70, of Havana passed away Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2015, at her home. She was born March 19, 1944, in Manheim, Germany. Brigitte was a member of the Danville First Baptist Church and an LPN. She was preceded in death by her husband, Cecile McGugan; her parents; and two sisters. Survivors include her daughters, Andrea McGugan and Sandy Carter; son, Michael McGugan, all of Havana; three grandchildren; five great-grandc...